Co-op Employers
Benefits for your company
Hiring co-op students offers valuable educational opportunities to students, and also benefits employers by providing:
- A cost-effective way to fill temporary and long-term staffing needs
- An opportunity to evaluate potential future employees
- A way to fill entry-level professional positions with qualified candidates
- A link to one of the region’s dominant workforce training institutions
Co-op employer responsibilities
To ensure that both employers and co-op employees have productive, meaningful experiences we ask that employers:
- Provide new hire orientation
- Supervise a student’s work
- Compensate students for their work
- Participate in site visits by the student’s co-op coordinator
- Evaluate a student’s work performance
Need guidance on setting up a Co-op program for your organization?
Hire a co-op student
To establish a co-op relationship with Cincinnati State, please contact the Co-op Coordinator in your area of interest.
CState CareerLink is an online system that connects students and graduates to employment opportunities.
To register for access to CState CareerLink:
- Register online at Symplicity .
- You’ll receive an email message, usually within 24 hours, letting you know your registration is pending. We’ll get in touch if there are any problems.
- When your registration is approved, you’ll receive a welcome email with your username and password.
- Your approved registration allows you to view resumes, post job opportunities, and meet the Co-op Coordinator who will be your primary contact.
When you post a job on CState CareerLink, consider these categories:
- Co-op: Full-time or part-time paid employment in the student’s field of study, which may or may not lead to a permanent position
- Internship: Full-time or part-time unpaid employment in the student’s field of study, which may or may not lead to a permanent position
- Full-time Permanent: Employment for Cincinnati State students near graduation or Cincinnati State alumni
- Part-time Permanent: Employment for Cincinnati State students near graduation or Cincinnati State alumni
What is co-op?
Co-op is an academic partnership that includes the College, the employer, and the student. It is designed to help the employer meet human resource needs, while providing the student with an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a real-world work environment. Co-op students work for one academic semester (15 weeks) in a job related to their field of study and appropriate for their skill level and experience. Students receive a grade and course credit for their co-op work, and are expected to be a contributing part of the company.
How does a co-op position differ from an internship?
While some schools and employers may use these terms interchangeably, at Cincinnati State “co-op” applies to full-time or part-time paid positions while “internship’ is used to describe part-time, unpaid assignments related to a student’s academic and career goals.
What are the average salary requirements for co-op students?
Co-op pay varies by degree program but in general ranges from $8 to $18 an hour, depending on the industry and on the technical expertise required.
Who should I contact at Cincinnati State to establish a co-op program or post a co-op position?
A good place to start is by talking to our Co-op Coordinators. Each academic division has full-time co-op coordinators assigned to specific degree programs. If you are an employer interested in posting a co-op position you can for the academic program related to your industry. Click here for a list of Co-op Coordinators and programs.
Who should I contact to find students for clinical rotations in healthcare fields?
Clinical rotations in the healthcare industry for students studying nursing or pursuing other health-related majors are managed through Cincinnati State’s Health and Public Safety Division. Healthcare employers should call (513) 569-1670.
Are co-op students required to work a minimum number of hours per week?
Cincinnati State offers both full-time and part-time co-op schedules. Part-time co-op students work 20 to 31 hours a week and receive 1 hour of co-op course credit. Full-time co-op students work 32-40 hours a week and receive 2 hours of co-op course credit.
How will school holidays or breaks affect the co-op schedule?
College-observed holidays and breaks do not affect the co-op schedule. Students on a co-op assignment are expected to follow their employer’s schedule for holidays and breaks.
What is the deadline for hiring a co-op student for a specific semester?
Ideally, students should be hired by the last week of the semester prior to the one in which they will begin working. However, when necessary, students can be hired in the first or the second week of the semester in which they work. The student will still receive course credit for the experience if they are hired by the second week of the semester. We strongly encourage employers and students not to make this “late start” a common practice.
When should the co-op job offer be sent, and to whom?
Job offers can be sent directly to the student; however, the student’s co-op coordinator should also be informed of your selection.